Notes
Campaign Introduction: Edit Players: Brandon: generalist but socialite: both fellowship and influence - forbidden knowledge Dan: Generalist With psychic powers Examples of inquisitor stuff / tone setting: A man stands before a bowl of boiling red blood, the walls of his small apartment are spattered with gore and his flesh is ritually inscribed with cuts and glyphs describing insane adulation to a dark and dangerous god. As his hands raise above his head a gleaming silver blade bursts from the center of his chest, it pauses there for only a second, glistening with harsh molecular fire. Just long enough to burn the blood off the Intricate I inscribed along the blade. Suddenly it rips upwards carving the man neatly in half from his midsection upward into a grotesque Y. The blades wielder, drops a small flare, then turns to leave the now burning apartment. A woman laughs with hideous glee as ferocious flames burst forth from her weapons, scouring the flesh from the bones of alien things, skittering around her perch amongst the hideous brood. Her face is a mask of psychopathic glee amongst the bloodshed, and burning horde A man weeps quietly, sitting on a rock amongst a red field. He is bruised, cut and shot but mostly intact. He looks out across a field of bodies, those several closest to him look much like he does, rich caramel skin and bedecked in strange and unrecognizable clothing and technology. Further out lies hundreds of green corpses, long spike hair and crude long guns scattered amongst the bodies, wrapped in thin leather belts and pouches. He weeps alone. A man in a long black coat turns an ornate box box curiously in his hands, examining every feature. He seems out of place in the cluttered curio shop. He stares down with the intensity of the intricately worked letter I hanging from his neck. “How many people have returned this shopkeep?” a man, who has shoved himself against the back wall in fear stutters out “ tt..tt…ten lord”, “ pity”, the man pulls out a glistening blue glove covered in scintillating crystal powder and pulls it carefully over his right hand. The gloved hand glistens a dark red as its fingers are pushed gently through the side of the box, like a hand carefully reaching into still water. The man frowns, harshly, and the hand withdraws from the box, as it opens black smoke begins pouring from between the fingers, rising up and disappearing near the shops ceiling, suddenly a screaming face appears in the smoke, is ringing howls of pain dissipated just as the face disappears into nothing as the last of the black smoke clears. Suddenly, a young figure appears in the door “Inquisitor!, you are needed off world.” “Of course Heshus, one moment” The man turns quickly suddenly a gleaming silver pistol in his left hand, a bark, and the shopkeeps head explodes in a shower of gore. The newcomer, unsurprised, turns to move away “ Pity there wont be a trial, seemed to be innocent” The inquisitor glowers, following “ Innocence proves nothing. These are the men and women of the god emporers holy inquisition. They answer unto no one but the emporer himself and their remit is the entirety of mankinds reach across a million worlds. They are each individual, and each has tasked themselves with a different task, to ensure mankind’s survival in a harsh galaxy. They are a s varied as the worlds the protect, and as those worlds no two are alike. There are only 2 things that each inquisitor shares across their vast charge. The first is in implacable sense of duty to the imperium they protect. The second, an inconquerable iron will to do what must be done. Ave Imperator Acolyte choices: Edit These are NPC’s that broadly belong to me, I will make them character sheets as needed Each Inquisitor will get 3 follower points +influence first digit thing. They may only ever have a warband of this “size” which may change as the influence stat changes/ rewards for campaigns and whatever else. Follower Options based on points: If there is something/someone you want as a follower tat I have not included we can of course discuss it and essentially the power level will be based on follower points 1 pt Skilled human 1 pt So this is like a fighter, thief, essentially a particularly talented human that is one in a billion talented, this person would be the best at what they do within one billion humans Conscript / nominal soldier squad: a recent acquisition of 10-20 soldiers with a sergeant/ other commander About 5 servo skulls depends on what you want them to be able to do but once these are destroyed they need to be replaced like other followers Tech Adept Explorator: a nominal tech adept with the skills and equipment appropriate to that generalist role 2 Pts: Analyst: Does analysis, is able to se things past the pc perspective –non psychic but has idetic memory or some other critical talent/ knowledge. Maybe a repository of history/arcane knowledge Veteran squad. A squad of 5-10 seasoned veterans with more exotic weapons Inquisitorial mentee: a baby inquisitor you can tell what to do, Elite bodyguards: up to two essentially veteran tempestus scions with whatever wargear anyone cares about Death cult assassin: I do not know an insane amount about these boyos but they are a level 2 line item Adepta sororitas Battle Sister: a single battle sister An adeptus Arbite: an arbite sergeant with their armor and wargear 3Pts: Psyker of dealers choice specialty: Human psyker of beyond astropath ability, not as powerful as an inquisitorial psyker Psychic null: a psychic null of power equal to a novitiate of the sisters of silence. Not enough to crush a very powerful psyker but anything else they can control Deathwatch space marine: a tactical marine of the deathwatch/ other circumstances on DM approval no special weapons but still: its like a freaking space marine A seemingly limitless supply of servo skulls if you choose this you will gain access to a servo skull repository/ fabricator/ basically you can control and direct up to 4 servo skulls who will be low tier but easily replaceable It is worth noting that things past level three are not recommended to be taken more than once, no matter who your followers are this is still a deadly setting and you don’t want all your eggs in a few baskets. That said, do whatever you want 4pts Space Marine Veteran extra wargear and experience/ a smarter indivisual makes this a formidable opponent/ investigator indeed, also possesses a broad knowledge base of all the imperiums enemies excepting certain knowledge about daemons and the nature of the warp Grey Knight Paladin: as the space marine veteran but significantly more limited wargear however essentially full knowledge of all the imperium’s enemies as well as psychic abilities Destined acolyte: This is an inquisitorial mentee who is almost ready to be an inquisitor in their own right 5 pts Assassin of any canon temple with all appropriate wargear: if you would do me the favor of not taking an eversor, cause that’s a lot of points for someone who sort of cant really investigate mysteries, but kind of can but come on guys Death Watch Terminator scary dude, does all the things youd expect, which should be a lot Daemonhost: This is based of cherubael from the Eisenhorn series may require sacrifice, is a heck of a risk to take but is more powerful than any other option. 1000 points The emporer if you spend 1000 points the emporer will be immediately revived and allow you to guide him and humanity as you see fit. Also he gives you a puppy and brings ferrus manus back to life with reverse mind bullets Campaign Idea and exposition / arc plan: Allright so the basic idea is that Brandon and Dan are playing two inquisitors who are investigating, sans ship a suspected heretic cult on a planet. The cult is in fact being controlled by a group of craftworld elder who have predicted that somewhere on athis planet effectively the next solar macharius will rise, and destroy alaitoc. The chance is sort of low but this group of semi-radical craftworlders believe that no threat can be afforded so they are trying to get the inquisition to exterminates the planet. They will have come to the planet after receiving a message from an inquisitorial listening post specifically from a dude and location where they find the message sender dead, but this gives tham a bit of a safehouse. The harlequins are not on board with this and later in the plot are going to try to inform the inquisitors of whats going on, because they fear that chaos may become actually empowered on the planet. Deff a sprawling hive world—go into a lot of detail and add local cuisine and shit this will be superr fun\ The map will have several locations to explore: and many blanka areas for the players to discover/develop Factions and their desires: Craftworlders: exterminates from these 2 inquisitors, did invite them, do secretly run the cult Tzeentch, who sent the false vision to inspire the craftworlders to make the fake cult to become a real cult: yo bro, I am very proud of you works with cult Harlequins: bro this smells tzeentchy\ Inquisitors: nominally fuck all these people Chapter One: Players & their acolytes: We will make the characters together as a session zero/ group exercise. I will be the custodian of them however and they will have several requirements. Firstly, they must be generalists to some point, they cannot be so one sided that that they cannot work alone or with others in almost any situation. They may have a specialism, not a dedication. They are travelling investigative inquisitors: they do not travel with an army and currently are without their own dedicated ship- they are explicitly trapped on the surface of the planet for at least three months, and can only communicate with the broader world through astropathic transmission. They are well equipped, but not more than is reasonable at GM Discretion: E.G. oh yeah I just travel with 10 meltaguns bro, for sure, hey can I get me that coscript squad, yeet masterson Lastly, I want the characters to be narratively driven, as I want with all parts of this campaign, I don’t have rigorous guidelines for this, but essentially no min-maxing or one-holing it. I would want characters that are well rounded around a theme. _ get this si a little unfair of me in particular, but its truly the only way this freaking idea is going to work, and I get that, but I should be understanding about it. Plot Structure for Act I: Edit For act one I want the inquisitors to start investigating what they think is a pretty standard cult stuffage and try to snuff it out before it really gets going on Dolus. I want them to establish a base learn about the cult leader, and get the sense that there is something wrong happening. They should end up with light losses and victorious against the cult but learn that it has start to spread. I also want it to hit sort of weird. I want the symbol of Tzeentch to be off, clearly not any known symbol but enough to fool someone. I want the cult to not know anything about chaos really, if interrogated. I want Hissar to be guided by a voice in his head, and I want a psychic presence following the investigation. And I want the whole cult to be too loud and brassy. Ultimately, the goal of the first arc is to establish that the cult is spreading and that it is by no means a typical cult. I want the players to wonder really wonder, who, if anyone, is pulling the strings here and why they would want to. I also want there to be constant atrocities near the inquisitors locations, the cultists will have no knowledge of this and if investigated will be odd. The boys are on different planets, they may either have a ship or have passage, if they have a ship it is damaged in warp transit and must transit to a repair dock for re-fit. ultimately they and their attendant parties are trapped on dolus as soon as they arrive a courier child hands them a letter inviting them to dinner with the hive's mayor. go to the listening post find dead guy, op to explore my sandboxie season opener Dan and Brandons Followers and Relics Edit Brandon---Ardenie Ordo Leviatus - great old ones 2 - elite bodyguards – Tempestus Scions – gruff manor – no nonsense – very capable, will resent being led by anyone who does not explicitely outrank them – Named Harris Frenner and Bran Buckwell 2 -veteran squad squad is valhallan - stereotypical Squad Sergeant , Rus Darran 2-analyst From Rynn’s World – secretive – obsequious – Jerrien Frake 1 nominal soldier squad - from yhoia – mutated Broadly disregard command except from Ardenie, do not play well with others, do not feel the need to be liked or accepted, keep to themselves. Sergeant Tior Nodam 1 nominal soldier squad From Mordia – are with inquisitor because they are less disciplined then mordia demands Sergeant Gree Ferrum 1-5x servo skulls ( 1 messenger 2 medical 2 augur 1 utility) skulls skulls skulls 1-Skilled human - detective Investigation Locke think calssic PI, likes to work alone 1-Skilled human - infiltrator Infiltrator Kree – can work with others, dislikes mechanicus elements Dan Relics 1. Bone sword 2. Psychic power 3. One person SEP field Brandon Relics 1. Fetus force field 50/50 red light and on 10 plus produces spray of blood 2. Mystical aether portal to workshop 3. All costumes Dan---Kian Evandrus, 38 years old, lean and tall, brown hair going gray Ordos Excorium - stops exterminatus Excorcist Chapter Veteran 4pts Veteran Vandiel – Chose to travel with the inquisitor after his squad was killed to man due to a botched exterminatus, escaped by hiding in drop pod, was found in space-mastasis in space by Kian. Is usually calm collected and reasonable, truly a good advisor, extremely capable. Loses his temper in the face of demons/heretics Human Investigator 1pt – Investigator Ardunn Was Berrums rival, found by inquisition after they simultanelously uncoverd as cult Human Investigator 1pt Investigator Berrum Conscripts 1pt – disordly, complainy, hate working with the space marine, but follow orders well, sergeant tries to keep them in line Sergeant Gloriana Kell – gruff, shagrined Tech Priest 1pt – Tech Priest XXI Refers to self only as 21, deeply mysterious, essentially asked to be posted with the inquisitor, noone else on his forgeworld was informed. Death Cult Assassin 2pts _ Scary, works only alone or in control of the situation, uses body as a weapon – Sellana Setting: Edit Main overarching setting The Dolus System, Has Dolus 1, as well as ForgeWorld Gerroden, which does critical fabrication of manufacturing machinery issued throughout the hives of the imperium. The entire main story takes place on the relatively small planet of Dolus 1, a relatively hot planet where the arid desert covers a wide central band and the poles are largely agrarian in half cycles each lasting 1 terran year so 1 year of harvest and easy living, and 1 year of harsh winter. These medieval-esque communities support the hungry of the hive ring, a series of 4 hives that off-quarter the planet, with three hives that are closer than an isolated third but by like, 300 miles further each side on a mars sized planet so its not like the close 3 are like… close. These hives exist to mine the planet for crude iron and other exotic minerals, which while not profitable the planet is out of the way and largely self-sustaining. One sol cycle is 2 days We have Nordus and Sulus as the two large homogenous agrarian communities (on the north and south poles) The 4 hives: Cruxus- central of the three and largest hive Estvar Halmun – isolated hive Gesh And we should maybe make a map Critical overarching NPC’s Edit For act One: Pit Rasat – the inquisitors receive a private transmission, directed at them from the astropathic relays on the planets they are on, from an inquisitorial listening post on Dolus. Message is brief, cuts in and out, but insists that there is a cult growing on dolus Nemesis: leader of the cult Hissar Van Curren – Hissar has been explicitly but subtly directed to attack the inquisitors followers and try to kill the inquisitors. He explicitly focuses on how the voice in his head wants him to spread the message of tzeentch throughout the greater system. Sirrian Rach: Hissans right hand henchman a lithe and agile assassin who slavishly follows the orders of Hissan Gerro Durach: A massive ogryn who leads the armies of cultists The elder are not here yet There is a location where the shadowseer will leave an important hint/ riddle for the inquisitors Sempo Loch: Commander of the PDF stationed at Halmun High Commander Lawrence Durian- Stinks, wants bribes but is not helping the cult Possible scheming noble - Herrien Glace- requested private meeting with Ardiene Specific locations and their NPC’s and clues Edit Pit Rasat’s safe house, where he is found dead by a hidden relay to the astropathic communication center of the hive, dead and the relay destroyed, safe house is otherwise safe, signs of forced entry, may get a small Eldar clue here on a really good check. About the forced entry, but it won’t really give them anything to go on. Discovered locations in Bold, all undiscovered items non-bolded Upper Hive: Hive Masters Court: Shops Residences Parks Dueling chambers Middle Hive: Temple of the emporer: PDF Holding Area The residences The factories PDF Barracks: Listening Post : Listening Post: • The eldar decided to handle the assassination of Pit Rasat personally so they could exercise control of the situation and not bring down the whole inquisition when a new cult immediately attacks a secret listening post facility. Pit rasats voice was reconstructed and distorted and sent directly to Ardenie, as the closest inquisitorial representative. Crime Scene – planned event after first round of investigations • Atrocity took place here, • Organized group of humans / mutants • Came from the underhive • Had decent weapons and gear, at least as good as gangers • Targeted wealthy families • Attack seemed almost entirely unprovoked • Scrap of cloth left at scene with small psychic resopnance – belongs to Hissar van Curen • Targeted wealthy families, several items were stolen from homes • Strange symbol left at crime scene in blood Lower Hive: Lower Hive – Gamblers Den Lower Hive – organized crime front (Clubhouse) Lower Hive – Urchins rooftops Lower Hive – Abandoned Imperial Shrine Under Hive: The Underhive Bar – a meeting place for underhivers The Raceway – an underhive community Dark Tunnel network – the soldiers do not know whats in there Mutant dens, Discovered Locations: With Significant discoveries Upper Hive: Hive Masters Court: • Nobles are all schemey • The hive ruler seems slimey • One noble asked for private appointment Shops Residences Parks • All people focussed on upward Mobility Dueling chambers Middle Hive: Temple of the emporer: • The Confessor does not seem to be a man of strong faith • Pamphlet advertising meeting in public square PDF Holding Area • Recent uptick in seemingly random violent crime The residences The factories PDF Barracks: Listening post • Pit Rasat Found dead, only sign of assassin was forced front door, not even footprints in the dust • Killed with extremely sharp weapon, like a master crafted mono blade • No trail of blood Middle hive – the square Lower Hive: Gamblers Den organized crime front (Clubhouse) Urchins rooftops Abandoned Imperial Shrine Under Hive: The Underhive Bar – a meeting place for underhivers The Raceway – an underhive community Dark Tunnel network – the soldiers do not know whats in there Mutant dens • Mutants are angry, want a better life Arc One Notes Notes: • The boys so far have not discovered much but have kept the presence of two inquisitors a seccret for now, have started looking through the city • Herrien Glace has requested private appointment with Ardenie Session one notes Brandon Report One: Brandons Outlays Week One: Detective to temple Nothing out of usual inside temple, however found a pamphlet openly advertising for a “Public Meeting in a square in the middle hive” message is upbeat but cryptic. The confessor keeps a bottle of amasec behind the altar, and he went to a brothel one night in disguise, in the lower hive Middle hive – the square Infiltrator with augur – to lower hive Lower hive new locations Discovered! Lower Hive – Gamblers Den Lower Hive – organized crime front (Clubhouse) Lower Hive – Urchins rooftops Lower Hive – Abandoned Imperial Shrine Veterans to upper hive No new locations, however citizens all seem to be at least a little obsessed with social mobility, the soldiers are unable to get too much of a lead on it, but the people here seem soft Analyst to PDF Holding Area with message skull Records obtained with inquisitorial authority. Arrest records show nothing surrounding the break in at the listening post, arrest records are massive data dump that are difficult to analyse -Analyst Bonus- There has been an uptick in the last month of acts of random violence across the city, there may be a pattern but the analyst needs more time and more data to cross reference Normal squad to middle hive Nothing out of the ordinary, lots of pointless local chatter and people trying to get their neighbors killed – nothing happenned Mutated blood squad to underhive The mutants are riled up and angry, there are mutant leaders trying to tell the muties they deserve a better life, the squad discovered candy wrappers from the middle hive. Soldiers aren’t exactly trusted but are accepted in the underhive New locations Discovered: The Underhive Bar – a meeting place for underhivers The Raceway – an underhive community Dark Tunnel network – the soldiers do not know whats in there Category:Notes